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Internet is Australia’s most trusted medium – ACMA

The Internet is Australia’s most trustworthy medium, according to a government-commissioned report released today.  

Source: ACMA / Roy Morgan

Source: ACMA / Roy Morgan

The Australia In The Digital Economy – Trust and Confidence study, from the Australian Communications and Media Authority, says that 25% of the population list the Internet as their must trusted source of information. This is followed by newspapers at 20%, TV at around 17%, and radio at about 13%.

Among the minority who are not online, radio is the most trusted medium. Only 1% of people chose magazines as their most trusted medium.

However, the report – based on a phone survey of just over 1600 people carried out by Roy Morgan in May and June last year – cautions: “Generally there are three types of information available online: information on products, news and research information, and information obtained through peer-to-peer processes and online communities. Consumers may not be distinguishing between these types of information and may be confusing ease of access with quality of information.”

The report also suggests that those who use social networking sites tend to be slightly more aware of privacy issues. It says that more than 80% take steps to protect their computer when social networking, just over half read the terms and conditions of the site and about 40% check what information about them  third parties can access.

According to the document, 11.3m Australian go online in any given month. It also demonstrates that online retail still has major barriers to overcome. Even among Internet users, less than 30% say they are comfortable giving their credit card details over the Internet while only 15% say they’d contemplate doing their grocery shopping online within the next 12 months.

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